“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us,”

Today’s verse is found halfway through the first chapter of the second letter to the new Corinthian church. It speaks of Paul’s own personal experience of being delivered from great trials and tribulations whilst in Asia, probably at Ephesus. Paul is trying to emphasise that through Christ, although he and his co-workers suffered horrific trials, they were delivered and survived them because of His faithfulness and promise to never forsake them.

The confidence of believers is grounded in God's character, actions and trustworthy promises rather than human achievements. God-given assurance, or faith, produces spiritual maturity and stability so that believers may withstand the adverse conditions of this life.  

In our daily lives we face trials and difficulties. We also receive His blessings daily and provision for our lives. Paul speaks of his and our sufferings as being an overflow of the sufferings of Jesus. Just as He overcame death by His suffering in the cross, through our faith in Him we too can overcome the trials and tribulations of our lives here on earth. In turn such faith and perseverance in the face of hardship, causes our faith to grow stronger and deeper and prepares us for eternity in glory with our God, Saviour and counsellor. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is our faith or certainty in Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross, that Paul is telling his reader, to fully rely on and to be certain that He will continue to deliver us from such trials. His power never fails and is available to all who put their trust and hope in Jesus Christ, the only sinless man to have ever walked the earth. Yet it was by His perfection that we are forgiven and can stand before His throne in confidence.

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Application: 

Spend some time absorbing the enormity of Jesus’ sacrifice, made for you and the whole world, past, present and future. Then worship Him in thought, word and deed.

Prayer:  

Dear Lord. I worship your majesty. Unto you be glory honour and praise. Amen.